What you ought to know about Zebras while on an African safari

Africa is a continent filled with some of the most beautiful wildlife the world has to offer. From lions to elephants, you can never run out of something to feed your sight. But one of the most common animals you shall encounter while on an African Safari is the Zebra.

Commonly known as Punda Milia in Kenya and closely related to horses and the like, this animal is in plenty in the African fields with its stunning black and white striped body. Below are a few facts about Zebras that you can use to enrich your travel experience.

A social lot

Zebras are one of the most social animals in the animal kingdom with their favorite friends being the wildebeest, topi and hartebeest. Spread evenly through the different reservations one will find that they are most present in the Mara where they can be found in the thousands.

They travel around in huge groups some of which are known as harems which could compromise of 30 zebras or less. The only time they would be seen as not social is when the Zebra foals are born and the mother has to keep the others away so that the foal may recognize her.

Foodie alert

In the case of diet, well Zebras are herbivorous animals and are known to eat a variety of grass, shrubs and so forth. They stay close to waterfronts due to their thirsty nature which requires them to be well hydrated.

Even so, these animals are threatened by loss of habitat due to farming issues that arise from people taking over the land as well as the animals now having to fight for water with the local livestock in the area.

But the most obvious threat would be the rapid climate change and poachers looking to make a profit from their skin.

Fun facts

A little something that puzzles many people is the old age question as to whether or not zebra's stripes are black or white. Well, firstly it is said a zebra's stripes act as a form of camouflage that helps protect them from predators but also from insects. Even with that advantage already these animals are quite quick on their feet averaging a speed of 65km/h.

After research was done it was found that zebra's skin is actually black with the animal having white stripes that appear when it ages.